Gravitation
by mirage24
Summary: If Daniel can save Dr. Janet Fraiser, what would change? Set just after Season 9's "Ripple Effect", Daniel is convinced that despite the possible consequences, Janet is worth saving. Rated T because I have no idea where this is going yet. Could be actiony. Could just end up being all kinds of shippy. NOT Daniel/Janet, though! I'm thinking more S/J, if anything.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I do not own anything in the Stargate Franchise. This is for non-profit fun.

**A/N:** I don't really know where I'm going with this yet. It's just an idea I've had floating around in my head, and figured it's a nice interlude from my normal seaQuest fanfiction I've been writing lately. What **IF** Janet was there for Season 8? What would be different going foward, if she had survived the events of 'Heroes 1&2'? I have at least one major idea, which would make this fic less-actiony (ie. SJ shipping) than planned but I'm still thinking on it. I'm not 100% sure if this has been done before, although I'm sure it has. I wanted to do somethign similar with Rodney & Carson for SG Atlantis but this seemed like a better idea for me.

**This story is set only a week or so after Season 9's "Ripple Effect".

* * *

**Gravitation**

**Chapter 1**

"Why do you need a pass to Area 51?"

Daniel Jackson rolled his eyes. "Shouldn't you know me well enough by now not to bother asking?"

General O'Neill pointed a finger at his chest. "Exactly why I'm asking you now. You don't _need_ a pass to go there—you're on SG-1, that's pass enough!"

"Oh," Daniel said, then stood to leave Jack's office. "Alright then, see you later."

"Daniel."

He looked back to his old team leader. "Jack?"

"Whatcha doing?"

"I have a hypothesis," he said simply, although truly it was more than that. He just wasn't a hundred percent sure what he was going to do with it. Truth be told, he already knew how the technology worked. He just needed five minutes alone with it.

"What _kind_ of hypothesis?" Jack asked of him like he would a small child.

"The kind that we would need to fight the Ori but would get Sam mad."

Jack cringed. "Do me a favor and run it by her anyway before you go doing anything, you got that?"

The archaeologist, seeing his time to retreat, nodded quickly. "Sure. Later!"

* * *

A few hours later, Daniel sat inside the time-travelling puddle jumper SG-1 discovered a few years ago, contemplating his options. He could do what he told Jack he was going to do, which was hypothesize about how this technology could be used to fight the Ori. Or, he could do what he's wanted to do for almost two years now.

Sometimes death was not an answer. Especially for him. And if he was able to cheat it time and time again, why not others? Why not someone who actually _deserved_ it?

Daniel knew Sam would shoot the idea down the second he proposed it, even if it meant saving that person. Or every person. Changing the ancient past was one thing, since so much could be changed to make the present they knew something so impossibly different. But what about the recent past? What would saving just one life change?

Daniel supposed that this was one of the few regrets he had in life. He lost Sha're and others, but he almost felt responsible for this death in particular. Like he could have changed it. And when all the other variations of SG-1 teams came through the gate last week, that's when he realized it was true. If the _other_ Daniel Jackson in _that_ reality kept _that_ version of her from dying that day, why couldn't he? And why, just a year later, was _he_ able to cheat death yet again?

That decided it for him. How much would it really change, anyway?

He was going to save Janet Frasier, and just hoped that Sam would help.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Kalinysta: I hate when people confuse them, too! I had a professor my freshman year of college who flunked people who got them mixed up. Ever since, I've tried to use them correctly. Thanks for reading and reviewing! :)

And thank you to all those who followed the first chapter!

**Chapter 2**

* * *

**grav·i·ta·tion**

1. moving in the direction of something: a gradual and steady movement toward something or someone, as if drawn by some force or attraction

2. the force that attracts things: the mutual force of attraction between all particles or bodies that have mass

(Google Definition)

* * *

Lt. Colonel Samantha Carter looked at her long time friend with a facial expression that was totally indefinable. "You want to do _what_?"

"Oh come on Sam," he said. "You can't say you haven't thought about it."

Sam sat down at her desk, steadying herself in the only way she knew how. "Look Daniel, we all loved Janet, but going back and saving people from death, that's not our job."

"Stop treating me like a desperate archaeologist trying to fit in like a kid in over his head," he said. "I'm not that guy anymore."

"I didn't say you were," she tried to reason with him. "The point is this: you can't do it. Yes, we have the technology to do it and yes, I could help you—but I won't. Not on this. It's just not right."

"You saw her last week, Sam!" Daniel said. "She was here, right in front of us! She didn't die that day!"

"But who else might have instead?" Sam asked him. "Teal'c wasn't there on her team when they came through the 'gate. Neither was General O'Neill." She thought she knew the reason why the latter wasn't there, but didn't want to dwell on it too much.

"Nothing says that the reason they weren't there is because they died on that planet instead of her," Daniel told her. "In fact, I doubt that they could have survived the fight with the Goa'uld long enough to get to we were with the Ori plague _without_ Teal'c and Jack. I'm just saying that how fair is it that—you know what, never mind."

He didn't want to try explaining to her how he felt. It's not that he didn't trust Sam or want to open up to her, he just knew she wouldn't go for the 'changing the past' stuff. And to be honest, the rational side of his brain wasn't all too for it, either. He knew what the possible consequences might be, and he _knew_ there may be no way to undo it all after—much less provide safety if Fate decided to have her way and kill Janet anyways. But he felt obligated to try.

"That what, Daniel?" Sam prodded.

"Just forget it," he said and smiled. "It was just an idea."

Sam's eyebrows raised, not really believing him. "You seemed like you were really going to go for it, though."

"Just an idea," he repeated. "I just miss her."

"We all do," Sam reassured him.

"And Cassie—"

"I know, Daniel."

He shook his head. "I'll see you later."

Sam nodded and promised herself she'd check in on him in a few hours. But when she did so, he wasn't in his lab. "Daniel…" Sam picked up the phone and dialed his cell to no avail. It went straight to voicemail, so she left a message: "Daniel, call me back the second you get this. Don't do anything stupid. Please."

She hung up and called General O'Neill.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Daniel was already on a plane when the co-pilot came out to tell him General O'Neill was on the line for him. "Tell him I'm sleeping."

The co-pilot shook his head. "I can't do that, Doctor."

"We're going to land in, what—" Daniel looked down to check his watch, "Twenty minutes? Tell him I'll call him when I get to the lobby. The conversation's going to be a long one. We don't have time." The co-pilot looked unconvinced. "Please?"

"Fine," he said, turning to return to his station.

Daniel's heart was racing. He knew that if he was going to enact his plan, it had to happen quickly. He knew where the jumper was being kept, how to operate it to go where he needed it to go, it was just missing one thing—

The ancient gene. The one thing he forgot about until just now.

_Can I rope Jack into this_? was his first thought, then, _Just get a tech to do it_.

Why, when they were giving the gene to Atlantis personnel, hadn't he also signed up to get it? Then again, he could always test a hypothesis he's had for years but never really gave anything further thought to…

Was his ascension enough to account for the gene? Daniel decided it was worth the risk. Besides, the jumper had already been activated numerous times by Jack. Hopefully that would be enough.

Secretly, though, Daniel hoped that it wasn't. The rational side of his brain was still not happy with this plan. If he couldn't use the jumper by himself and if he couldn't get a tech to activate it or Jack to do it, then maybe it really _was_ never meant to be. Then he wouldn't have to try. Then he wouldn't have to live with it if the worst case scenario played out: he saved her but she died at a later point anyway.

No wonder the Ancients have a strict non-interference law. The possibilities were endless… but so was the sense of responsibility.

When the plane landed, Daniel went straight for the door. When it opened, Jack greeted him at the bottom of the stairs. "Going somewhere?"

Daniel smiled sarcastically. "I told you I was coming here."

"Yes… well, you're not."

"Just hear me out, Jack, please," he said. Then he had an idea. "Just come in with me so I can explain."

Jack nodded slowly. "I think Carter explained enough to me."

"She didn't."

"Oh yes. And I kind of agree with her."

"Hear me out? Please?" Daniel asked him.

"Five minutes?" Jack asked, reluctant to even bother. He could rarely change Daniel's mind when they worked together every day, so why bother now?

"That's fine," agreed. That's all he would need. If he could just get Jack _in_ the jumper, _near _the console... Maybe the rest would all work out. Yes. He could do this. He just hoped Jack was as dumb as his brain wanted him to be.

Yeah right.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** I just wanted to thank everyone for all the follows and reviews! I know there are **way **more people reading this than are reviewing and following, but I just wanted to say thank you anyway! It really means a lot that there are a consistent number of readers for this story. I've never really done a long-form SG-1 fanfiction on here before, at least not a standalone (the other was a seaQuest crossover). Please feel free to drop a comment or full review so I know I'm still doing something interesting! I know the first few chapters were short and slow, but things will start to pick up from here! Have a great week everyone :)

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"The thing is, Jack… I think it's the way it's supposed to be," Daniel said as they walked toward the jumper. The corridors of Area 51 seemed to close in on him as they walked, proving to Daniel that he may just not get away with this.

"And who's to say that?" Jack questioned him. "I know it's not my _thing_," he stressed that last word, "but you're not just trying to bring her back—you're going to change what _happened_. _Has_ happened."

Daniel pointed at him, "Not by much, though. When the other team came through with Martouf and Dr. Frasier, Cam and I were still there. He still joined SG-1, which means you probably still got promoted."

"And Sam?" the Colonel asked him as they neared the door. He swiped his keycard and nodded at the airmen, who let the two of them in.

"Was on maternity leave," he mumbled.

"Ah! See! This is what I mean! The Sam I know doesn't want kids until all of _this_," he gestured at the air, "was over."

"Well in her defense," Daniel was quick to say, "we defeated the Goa'uld months ago. It wasn't until Vala came along that we got caught up in this mess with the Ori." Daniel pointed to the jumper and urged Jack inside.

"Which Janet's team was still dealing with in their time, according to your report."

"Yes," Daniel said. He walked to the front of the jumper and sat in the passenger seat with a sigh. "Look, it was just an idea, okay? Yeah, we don't know what would change—if anything—but I thought it was worth a try."

Jack also sat with a heavy sigh, though careful not to touch any of the jumper's consoles. "We all miss her, Daniel."

"I wish people would stop telling me that," he told Jack. "She saved my life too many times for me not to return the favor." Then, more quietly, he added. "It'd only be fair."

"Look, I wasn't there last week. I didn't see her or Martouf, but clearly something happened that allowed both of them to live. But that's their reality… world… whatever. Things happened the way they did here for a reason."

Daniel looked him directly in the eyes. "Then explain why I get to cheat death time and time again, and she can't?"

"I… can't," he said, and it was true. He didn't know what to say. True, it wasn't fair but that didn't change anything. What's done is done. If you could save people from death, wouldn't Daniel realize he'd go back and save Charlie, amongst countless others? "Daniel, I don't know what to tell you," he said finally, shifting his arm as it was starting to fall asleep.

As he did so, Daniel noticed where Jack's arm landed. How his hand now nonchalantly graced the main console. Clearly Jack didn't notice it—or maybe he did, and he was simply inviting Daniel to do it. Either way, it wouldn't matter—not until after the change, anyways.

Daniel jolted forward, quickly tapping at the keys.

Before Jack knew what was happening, he was trying to pull Daniel away from the console—but his free hand still made contact with a control. They were still struggling with each other when the change occurred, and only noticed it when they were fully surrounded by armed guards on the outside of the jumper.

"Jack!" Daniel yelled, seeing them through the windshield. "Jack, stop!"

Jack looked up at the guards, then down at his hand at the console, then to Daniel and then back to the guards. "You just _had_ to, didn't you?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

It only took Daniel about ten seconds to realize that something had gone horribly wrong. He thought that when he turned back time, he'd just be present during the battle when Janet lost her life. That's what happened when SG-1 used the jumper to go back in time to Egypt and get the ZPM—they were actually _there_.

But he miscalculated.

Hugely.

They didn't discover the jumper until sometime after Janet's death.

They were still in Area 51.

They'd skipped some time in between; but just how _much_ time and where that left he and Jack now, Daniel didn't know.

It's wholly possible that _this_ SG-1 could have discovered the device sooner, leading to some kind of mash-up between _his_ timeline and this new one that he couldn't begin to comprehend but knew Sam could somehow discover and explain. The fact that Harry Maybourne was on that planet couldn't have made that big of a deal, could it? Or the fact that he was only put there because of the Tok'ra? Or that the only reason they discovered the device there was because of him?

Couldn't events happen in different ways?

Daniel wasn't given that much time to think about it, because the jumper was boarded and he and Jack were taken… well not into _custody_ so much as led, with soldiers flanking their every move, to a separate room. They were told to wait until the rest of SG-1 could join them and General Landry could be reached on the phone. There was no mention of calling the President, or why they were there, or how they could get there.

_Wait,_ Daniel thought. _General Landry?_ Maybe he hadn't gone far back _enough_ in time… _Oh no_. _That's probably why they're calling Sam and Teal'c in the first place, _Daniel continued in his thoughts._ They're trying to verify with Landry what the hell we're doing here, however we got here._

"Daniel?" Jack asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes, Jack?" Daniel looked to him.

"Care to explain to me why you dragged me all the way out here to Area 51 just to get placed in a holding room?"

"Because of the jumper." Daniel answered absent mindedly. He was still trying to figure out just what the heck was going on.

"We've had that jumper for years now. Why would you bring me here today?"

Daniel was confused. "Don't you remember? We fought and you accidently touched the console… I took advantage of it? I tried to save Dr. Frasier?"

"Save her?" Jack asked, eyebrows raised.

That's when Daniel noticed it. If he was the only one to remember what happened, wouldn't Jack _also_ be the Jack from back then? But if Landry was still in charge, that meant Jack was gone and… Jack was still wearing a General's uniform.

_Why doesn't he remember, then?_

"Well?" Jack pressed when Daniel was silent for too long.

Daniel forced his open mouth to shut and his brain to formulate an answer Jack would be willing to accept and move on from. "We were going to try to look at some of the systems more in depth."

"So then why are we stuck here?" he asked, pointing to the floor. "It was your idea, after all."

"Yeah…" Daniel said. "About that…"

Daniel was going to come up with another lame excuse when the doors opened to reveal Dr. Janet Frasier and Lt. Colonel Cameron Mitchell. The next few seconds went by in a haze for the archaeologist. He heard Cam say something about missing the "jumper party" and what was sure to be a witty remark from Jack. He watched Janet go to Jack first, checking his vitals and flashing her notorious pen flashlight in his eyes.

"Doc!" Jack said as he put his hands up. "I'm _fine_, it's _him _you should be checking out!"

Daniel turned toward the sound, feeling like Jack had betrayed him for giving him up. But then again, Jack couldn't realize what he had done—which was, in a way, much different from what he intended to do.

He was just Janet questioned what Jack said, and that Cam also commented on what was probably a dumbfounded expression on Daniel's face, but all Daniel could do was stare at Dr. Frasier.

He _had_ saved her.

But at what cost? And how?

* * *

**A/N: **I just wanted to apologize for the long time in between chapters. Real life kinda got in the way but hopefully from here on out everything will be updated on a more regular basis. And yes, there's a reason things happened differently this time they used the jumper, but you'll have to wait and see why! :) I couldn't decide for a while how I wanted to do this story, since there's a million and one ways to go at this type of plot line, so hopefully this works!


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The immensity of what he did struck Daniel like a sack of beehives: with a heavy heart, and it stung. He expected to go back to that day, to save Janet, to bring her and that soldier back home to his pregnant wife, and everything would be alright. He was excited before, almost high off the feeling of "fooling" Jack into helping him. Now, Daniel was so unsure of what to do that he wouldn't allow himself to feel joy over seeing Dr. Frasier alive again. Knowing how it was so, how could he?

Daniel knew it'd change history but he never gave anyone the chance to decide all of that on their own. What's worse, he had no idea how he'd go about _fixing_ that. He let his head fall into his hands.

"Daniel?" Janet asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. It sent a cold shiver down his spine. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Daniel said, but he knew she saw through it. Janet always did. Not to mention Jack. _I just want to go home_.

Janet turned to Mitchell. "They seem to be fine, if not just a little confused. I would send them home for the night and talk to them tomorrow."

"Talk about what?" Jack asked.

"Why you're here," Cam said. "With all due respect, sir, you should be at the latest briefing at Cheyenne that started an hour ago."

"I know," Jack replied. "But Daniel wanted to go on this little side-trip so badly… and you know how that is."

Cameron nodded. "I'll speak to Landry. He's been looking for the both of you." He made a _tsk tsk_ sound. "You shouldn't go disappearing like that."

Daniel wasn't really listening. He was already trying to figure out a way to turn this all back. He'd had the best intentions but this clearly just wasn't _right_.

They let them go after that. A plane ride and taxi later, Daniel found himself at his house, writing down _exactly_ what had happened, from speaking with Sam earlier that day to getting home and picking up the pen.

Then he called Sam. But no one answered. He realized that leaving a voicemail that was this confusing would be pointless, so at the sound of the beep, Daniel hung up, grabbed his car keys, and headed to Sam's place.

Daniel knew something was wrong when her car wasn't in the driveway and when no lights were on. In the dark of the night, he missed the "for sale" sign and how weathered it was. He parked in the driveway and went up to the door, knocking. No one answered, so he side-stepped to the closest window and took a look inside.

No one was home. There was no furniture. No lights.

Sam was gone.

Daniel's heart sank. Where did she go?

Then he had a thought. The Janet from the alternate reality said Sam was on maternity leave. Basing his assumptions purely on _his_ Sam's love life (or at least the parts she made known to him), that left Daniel two choices.

He opted to visit the house in the woods first.


End file.
